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Originally Posted by Ron61
Wes,
I agree and if I could have an electric car like I want it, then I would love to have one. Batteries would run for at least 1,000 miles between charges, it would accelerate like mad, handle well, and be easy to work on. More and more what I am seeing is the regular garages being forced out of business as only the dealers can work on the newer cars. But I would love to see a really clean and economical vehicle. Our problem here with even the hybrids is the distances people have to travel and the high and steep mountains they have to go over. There are some places it is a long drive and many miles between places to get gas, so even the people with good mileage cars tend to haul a can of gas with them when they start on some of these routes.
Ron |
Ron,
I think I might be mistaken on the exclusive patent view:
From (
http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_sh...rid/index.html )...........
"The Tahoe hybrid is, in many ways, GM's biggest news at the Detroit Show, because this is the first time that anyone has taken a true hybrid system--co-developed with BMW and DaimlerChrysler--and applied it to a full-size truck. The so-called two-mode system generates around 300 hp and consists of an electric motor/generator and a Vortec V-8 OHV engine, using electric power only, engine power only, or a combination thereof at low speeds and light loads. It's the Toyota approach with two planetary gear seats (sets?) and two electric motors mated to a gasoline engine. Unlike previous GM hybrids such as the Saturn Vue Green Line, the Tahoe hybrid will be able to accelerate with the gasoline engine shut off. The technology has worldwide applications, and GM is crowing that it will provide amazing gas mileage when combined with diesel engines in Europe. In the U.S., the same gasoline/electric powertrain from the Tahoe will also be fitted to the Escalade. On the highway, full eight-cylinder engine power is added to the electric motors for passing, climbing steep grades, and towing. GM claims 25 percent fuel savings compared to conventional Tahoes, improvements aided by such features as a 0.4-inch lower ride height, low rolling resistance tires, a streamlined hood leading edge, and a liftgate and hood made of aluminum. The truck goes on sale late in 2007 as a 2008 model."
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The idea of well-designed hybrids will soon allow better gas mileage for the over-the-mountain trips, even in large vehicles. Newer Li-Ion batteries will allow storing even more of the downhill energy to be used for free partly-back-up energy. If there was room to store all the downhill energy, then it would be free all the way back up, nearly the same as if the trip had been made on level ground.
The next hybrids will provide extraordinary acceleration and performance with both electric and gas zipping together away from a stop. A 150hp engine plus a 150hp electric motor will rip up new pavement. One thing to keep in mind is that electric motors make their most torque from a dead stop while relatively anemic gas engines are allowed to slip just enough to
normally barely approach their maximum torque ...while first starting. This hybrid performance potential is very notable in the Prius which, with full gas high torque-speed design and full electric, puts out a nearly combined 300 foot-pounds, the same as a 5.0 Mustang V-8 302.
It's just too bad the Prius looks like a squared-off castrated teardrop.
But the weird shape is super-low Cd( coefficient of drag) I guess, form following function. Maybe I'll get used to it on the wifes daily driver, the shape of things to come.
I think that electric transmissions will be easier to service. While they aren't entirely uncomplicated, one must realize that conventional hydraulic transmissions contain a fragile analog computer in the form of the valve body. Electric transmissions, eventually being controlled by a cheap throw-away digital computer, actually simplify this. Electric transmissions, also using planetary gearsets, but by eliminating bands and clutches, have very few moving friction parts to wear out. Right now, the inverter is the expensive item, but, it too ...is wear resistant. The batteries are the weakest link, but far better than batteries even 5 years ago and getting better. Toyota unofficially expects current batteries to last for 15 tears.
For part of my life I worked as TV repairman just as transistors were getting popular. Much of the service was to replace worn out vacuum tubes and discreet point-to-point soldiered parts such as resistors and capacitors. Soon part of the circuitry was replaced by printed circuit boards with solid state transistors. If you remember, eventually, Motorola came out with the Quasar TV that used rebuildable plug-in modules, greatly simplifying repair on site. It wasn't long before the old modules were just thrown. Nowadays, we often throw the entire TV away. I think this will happen to the automotive industry and I think they know to fear it. And they have feared it since the well-loved(by owner/leasers) electric cars in California. The handwriting was on their wallets.
P.S. EDIT: Good Tahoe hybrid info link (
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120687 )
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